To characterize the pathway of ceftriaxone penetration into intervertebral discs, rat-tail discs were collected and immersed in a ceftriaxone solution for an in vitro study. For this in vivo experiment, plasma and tail discs were collected 30 min after ceftriaxone administration (463.2 mg/kg, equal to 500 mg/kg disodium salt, iv). The ceftriaxone levels in the plasma and discs were determined w...

In holometabolous insects, a species-specific size, known as critical weight, needs to be reached for metamorphosis to be initiated in the absence of further nutritional input. Previously, we found that reaching critical weight depends on the insulin-dependent growth of the prothoracic glands (PGs) in Drosophila larvae. Because the PGs produce the molting hormone ecdysone, we hypothesized that ...

This study focuses on the sense of brightness in the foraging Japanese yellow swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus. We presented two red discs of different intensity on a grey background to butterflies, and trained them to select one of the discs. They were successfully trained to select either a high intensity or a low intensity disc. The trained butterflies were tested on their ability to pe...

With millions of new dental and orthopedic implants inserted annually, periprosthetic osteolysis becomes a major concern. In dentistry, peri-implantitis management includes cleaning using ultrasonic scaling. We examined whether ultrasonic scaling releases titanium particles and induces inflammation and osteolysis. Titanium discs with machined, sandblasted/acid-etched and sandblasted surfaces we...

This study was done to evaluate whether injections of resveratrol, a natural compound found in the skin of grapes, had anabolic effects on degenerated intervertebral discs in a rabbit model. Two non-continuous lumbar discs were punctured in rabbits to induce disc degeneration. Four weeks and 6 weeks after puncture, the rabbits were treated by injections with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or resverat...

In this paper we discuss the evolution of gravitationally unstable pre-galactic discs that result from the collapse of haloes at high redshift z ≈ 10 or so, which have not yet been enriched by metals. In cases where molecular hydrogen formation is suppressed the discs are maintained at a temperature of a few thousand degrees Kelvin. However, when molecular hydrogen is present cooling can procee...

Context. Keplerian accretion discs around massive black holes (MBHs) are gravitationally unstable beyond a few hundredths of parsec and should collapse to form stars. It was indeed shown recently that an accretion/star formation episode took place a few millions years ago in the Galactic Center (GC). This raises the question of how the disc can survive in AGN and quasars and continue to transpo...

The intervertebral discs become wedged and narrowed in a scoliosis curve, and this may be due in part to altered biomechanical environment. To study this, external rings were attached by percutaneous pins transfixing adjacent vertebrae in 5-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats and four permutations of mechanical conditions (4 groups of animals) were compared: (A) 15 degrees Angulation, (B) Angulation w...

BACKGROUND Surface treatment by argon plasma is widely used as the last step of the manufacturing process of titanium implant fixtures before their sterilization by gamma rays. The possibility of using such a technology in the daily clinical practice is particularly fascinating. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of the argon plasma treatment on different titanium implant su...

Aspects of turbulence in protostellar accretion discs are being reviewed. The emergence of dead zones due to poor ionization and alternatives to the magneto-rotational instability are discussed. The coupling between dust and gas in protostellar accretion discs is explained and the turbulent drag is compared with laminar drag in the Stokes and Epstein regimes. Finally, the significance of magnet...